TPOVF 04

Chapter 04

At Yurenia’s radiant smile, as if flowers were in full bloom, the Duke’s brow furrowed slightly.

The power of a handsome man was truly remarkable. Even with a furrowed brow, he still looked handsome.

‘It’s a shame he’s not Kail.’

Perhaps if Kailus actually existed, this is what he might have felt like.

“I apologize. I was simply nervous meeting someone as highly esteemed as Your Grace for the first time. I will take your words to heart. Is there anything else you wish to instruct?”

“Not particularly.”

“Understood. Then, I would ask you to sign the employment contract.”

Yurenia took out the contract from her bag and held it out. The Duke watched her as he accepted the documents.

Yurenia spoke to his broad back as he walked to the desk to get a pen.

“Oh, and the notice said the person I’ll be caring for is a ‘7-year-old boy.’ Is he your child?”

“He’s not my child. He’s my late brother’s son.”

“So he’s your nephew.”

Yurenia nodded, filing away the information. The Duke turned around and spoke.

“Anything else you’re curious about?”

“If you don’t mind, could I also know his name? Knowing the name in advance helps with building rapport.”

“Chester Grayson Valerio.”

“Chester. So his nickname would be Chet, right? How cute.”

With her tension eased, Yurenia brightened, clapping her hands together.

But the Duke’s expression as he looked at her was strange. He signed the contract with a flourish and held it out to her.

“I doubt it’ll be cute.”

“Pardon?”

“Here.”

The Duke held the contract at Yurenia’s eye level. And he tapped the bottom of the document with his long fingers.

‘What’s this?’

Bewildered, Yurenia looked at the bottom of the contract. Beside the signature, written in elegant handwriting, was ‘Chester Grayson Valerio.’

“Chester Grayson Valerio is me.”

“Ah…!”

Realizing the situation, Yurenia’s face flushed as if it were about to explode. If only she could turn back time.

“I’m so sorry!”

As she covered her cheeks in embarrassment, the Duke twisted his lips into a smile.

“An interesting tutor has arrived.”

The Duke leaned against the desk. And he continued speaking to Yurenia, who was putting the contract into her bag.

“Kailus Milan Valerio. That’s the name of the student you’ll be in charge of.”

“Yes, yes. Kailus, right… Wait, what?”

Yurenia, who had been answering distractedly while closing her bag, was startled.

A seven-year-old boy.

So, the 7-year-old boy of the Valerio Duchy that Yurenia was supposed to teach—

Was not the protagonists’ second generation, but…

The original male lead, Kailus Valerio?

“Kail?!”

“Yes, Kail. Kailus. Kailus Valerio.”

The Duke answered calmly and tilted his head to the side. One of his eyebrows rose.

“Why do you ask?”

“Ah, it’s nothing.”

Yurenia picked up her bag and swallowed hard. Her heart was pounding violently.

‘The child I’m to teach is Kailus!’

So this really was the world of 『Obsessive Bondage』. And before the original story had even begun.

‘Huh? Wait a minute. If he’s seven…’

Suddenly, an important fact flashed through Yurenia’s mind.

Kailus was still young. And the fact that they were hiring a tutor meant the Duke hadn’t completely neglected his nephew yet.

In other words, this was before Kailus had become completely twisted.

If that was the case…

What if she taught young Kailus about love and affection?

Then in the future, Kailus and Emilia wouldn’t have to suffer and be ruined.

The tragic events, the horrific incidents, and their painful struggles would all disappear.

‘Can I change the original story?’

It wouldn’t be easy, but it was worth the effort.

For the sake of those two.

‘I’m getting paid a lot anyway, so this much service is nothing. I can do it!’

Her pink eyes, dreaming of a bright future, gleamed with ambition.

“I’ll do my best. Please trust me!”

Yurenia shouted with confidence. But the Duke scoffed at her enthusiastic tutor’s pledge.

“Don’t bother. I don’t expect much from you anyway.”

At the Duke’s cynical response, the expression on Yurenia’s face gradually faded.

‘What did he say?’

She was baffled.

‘Then why do you need me?’

Wasn’t that the point? Why hire a tutor, and at such a high salary no less, if that was the case?

Before Yurenia could ask, the Duke provided the answer himself.

“Just make sure Kailus can act the part of a noble appropriately. That’s all I want.”

“…Not act like a person, but act like a noble.”

Yurenia muttered with a sour expression.

She was dumbfounded. What exactly did Duke Chester think Kailus was?

The employment agency had told her she would be the sixteenth tutor to work here.

Now she understood why.

But even Yurenia, a complete stranger, was curious, yet Duke Chester showed no interest.

Shouldn’t he be taking this seriously? This was about his own nephew.

‘So he’s completely indifferent to the child.’

She had suspected as much, but hearing the instructions given to the tutor made it sink in.

The child was changing tutors suspiciously often, and the instruction to the new tutor was merely to make him act like a noble.

Didn’t this man worry about the child at all?

‘Surely, even so, he’s still the uncle.’

Yurenia cleared her throat softly. Normally, this was where the consultation with the parent would end, but she needed to talk a little more with him.

She rolled her large eyes and cautiously opened her mouth.

“If you mean acting like a noble, may I ask exactly what you have in mind?”

“Basic etiquette, table manners, dance, basic magic—things like that.”

Duke Chester calmly listed the answers, then frowned.

“Isn’t that what a tutor is supposed to teach?”

As if questioning why she was asking the obvious, he let out a small sigh.

“Come to think of it. I recall that you entered the Academy as a top student and graduated at the top as well, on a full scholarship.”

Duke Chester stroked his sharp jawline, lost in thought. Then, as if granting a favor, he spoke.

“I take back what I said about not expecting much. Do well. If you can last long enough, I intend to have you handle his elementary education as well.”

The Duke seemed to have judged that Yurenia’s pride was hurt by his earlier words, ‘I don’t expect much.’

But he was wrong.

‘That’s not the issue here!’

Where was she even supposed to begin?

Yurenia was upset not because she had been underestimated.

It was because Duke Chester was so indifferent to his nephew, Kailus.

Over the years, Yurenia had taught children in various noble households. And she had learned that, regardless of era or world, educational fervor was incredibly intense.

Most noble parents showed great interest in their children’s education.

Whether they were loving parents or not.

Ultimately, everyone desperately wanted their child to grow up well.

Because the child was the future of the family—inheriting the title and elevating the family’s honor.

Even parents who, like the Duke, didn’t have an ounce of affection for their child, at least showed basic interest.

“You’ll have your hands full with that troublesome brat.”

She had never had a guardian warn her like that.

Even if there were those who said, “Please take good care of my child.”

‘Well, of course. This is exactly how Kailus ended up the way he did.’

Yurenia resigned herself and swallowed a sigh.

The child growing up under an indifferent guardian was so pitiful.

Not because Kailus was the original male lead. If it were any other child, she would have been equally upset to see them so neglected.

Wasn’t that right?

A child shouldn’t grow up in this kind of environment.

No child should grow up under parental neglect, indifference, and abuse—like she had in her previous life.

‘I don’t even feel like fighting.’

It was so absurd that she couldn’t even get angry.

After all, he was her employer anyway. Even if she fought, it would only bring more losses than gains.

‘Fine. Let’s back off here.’

Yurenia was a tutor from a lower noble, a baronial family. Her position was completely different from Duke Chester’s, a great noble who came and went from the imperial palace as if it were his own home.

In cases like this—when an employer said something absurd—she knew exactly how to handle it.

“…Understood.”

All she had to do was answer properly.

Just answer.

As for the rest—how she would actually take care of Kailus—that was up to Yurenia, the tutor.

After all, the Duke had not a shred of interest in the child.

‘He wouldn’t know anyway.’

Yurenia smiled brightly, as if she had never hardened her expression. And she bowed deeply.

“I will do my best to guide him, Your Grace.”

I’ll do as you wish, my dear employer.

After I make our male lead act like a proper person first.